


What's Up, Doc?

by foobar137



Series: The Fletcher-Flynn Foundation [9]
Category: Phineas and Ferb
Genre: College, Developing Relationship, F/M, Graduate School, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-16
Updated: 2013-03-05
Packaged: 2017-11-29 12:21:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/686899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foobar137/pseuds/foobar137
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phineas, Isabella, and Ferb go off to college, where Ferb strikes up a relationship with a graduate student he knew many years ago. Ferbnessa fluff in the Fletcher-Flynn Foundation timeline (Back in Time for Dinner/Founding the Foundation/et al.).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Encounters

**Author's Note:**

> Man, my last few stories in this timeline have been depressing. Cancer and sudden heart failure and unreasonable parental demands - pfui. It’s time for some fluff. We’ve seen Phineas and Isabella progress from friends-with-crushes to boyfriend and girlfriend in ‘Back in Time for Dinner’, and progression of their relationship through the other stories in this timeline. Ferb and Vanessa haven’t gotten as much screen time. Time to fix that.
> 
> The intent at this time is to alternate posting days between this and ‘Something Special’, the story of the summer where Phineas and Isabella first became lovers. However, I don’t have either of those stories fully complete yet, so there may be a day or two where the same story gets new chapters two days in a row.
> 
> Rating: T. Mentions of adults having sex off-screen but nothing explicit on-screen.
> 
> Time frame: Starts in January of Phineas, Ferb, and Isabella’s freshman year at college; all are eighteen. Vanessa is twenty-three.

Phineas closed his chemistry notebook and checked his schedule for his next class. Gates Building, room 213, for Physics 2, a recitation section taught by...ah, good old Professor Staff, the busiest professor on the Quad-State Institute of Technology campus. Ten minutes to get halfway across campus, but after Physics, he was done for the first day of classes of his second semester at Quasi-Tech.

It was a chilly and clear winter day, and he moved easily through the crowds of students passing along the snow-lined paths, waving to people he knew as he passed. He climbed up the hill to the Gates Building, a large brick edifice that was the most recent addition to campus.

He got to class just on time, but the instructor hadn't arrived yet, so he grabbed a seat at the front and got his notebook out, pondering the night's plans as he waited. Isabella should be back late from her last class, and Ferb had a lab session, so Phineas got to cook dinner tonight. Something simple - the leftovers their parents had sent back with them after Christmas break were gone. Maybe pasta and meatballs. Or maybe he'd just pick up a pizza.

The instructor bustling into the classroom interrupted his chain of thought. _Wait,_ he thought. _She looks familiar._ A blue-eyed brunette woman, dressed in a charcoal blouse, black jeans, and black boots...

"Sorry I'm late, folks. I'm Vanessa Doofenshmirtz, and I'll be teaching Physics 2 recitation this semester. Don't bother trying to spell my last name, just call me Vanessa. Let me hand out the syllabus..." She rifled through her folders and pulled out a sheaf of papers, finally looking up at the class as she handed them to the students at the heads of each row. She reached Phineas and shook her head as she suddenly recognized him. "Phineas? What are you doing here?"

"Taking Physics 2. How'd you end up teaching it this semester?"

She shrugged. "The usual. No professors want to teach it, so they give it to a grad student."

He nodded, and she went on passing out papers.

Class went on with the usual day one rituals - discussion of class policies and grading, an overview of what was being covered, statement of office hours, and finally a little bit of actual material so they had something to do homework on for the next class. Afterwards, Phineas waited for the people requesting add or drop codes to get what they needed, then Vanessa looked at him. "So are you here on early admission? Aren't you a little young to be in college?"

"No, no I'm not. I'm eighteen, Vanessa."

"Wow. How did you grow up when I wasn't looking? Last time I saw you, you and Ferb were...what, fourteen? I suppose, yeah, that was almost four years ago, wasn't it? How's Ferb doing?"

"Okay. He's here getting a dual major in electrical and mechanical engineering. I share an apartment with him and Isabella just off-campus."

"Him and Isabella?" Vanessa raised an eyebrow.

"You remember Isabella, the girl from across the street? She and I started dating...about three and a half years ago now. We’ve been together since."

"Oh, sorry, the way you said it...nevermind."

"So what are you up to? Physics grad student?"

"Yeah, I figured somebody in the family should get a real doctorate. I'm studying the physics behind miniaturization technology..." She trailed off, momentarily speechless. "You and Ferb invented that. Why are you in college at all?"

"We can come up with great ideas, but we don’t have the knowledge to move them from reality-warping into conventional science so we can turn them into real tools that can help people. We figure that with a good grounding in the fundamentals, we can really make a difference in the world. So he's studying engineering, I'm studying physics and biology, and Isabella is studying business with a plan to go on to law school."

“Huh. Um...would you mind coming over to meet my advisor? I know he’d be thrilled to meet you, and I could use some brownie points with him at the moment.”

* * *

Vanessa was pleased with herself as she walked back to her apartment. Phineas and Professor Grunwald had gotten along incredibly well, and the young man had agreed to give a talk about his work as soon as the department could get it arranged.

She saw her roommate’s boyfriend’s car parked outside their apartment building as she turned the corner, and the good mood dissipated. It wasn’t that she disliked Jack - he seemed to make Lisa happy, and while she wasn’t exactly close to Lisa, she’d had enough unhappy roommates to appreciate the difference - but when he was over, the two of them tended to take over the living room, watch awful TV, and neck, and she really wasn’t in the mood to deal with any of that tonight.

When she arrived in the cramped apartment, however, Jack and Lisa were just getting ready to head out. “Jack’s taking me out on a date,” Lisa said. “Don’t wait up!” And with that, she had the apartment to herself.

She cooked a small casserole for herself for dinner, setting half of it aside for tomorrow’s lunch, and ate the other half on the battered couch in front of the TV.

 _So, Ferb’s here,_ she thought. _I wonder if he even remembers me? He seemed to have such a crush on me back then._

_He always looked like he was going to be a handsome young man when he grew up. And he was certainly good at being helpful when I needed him._

She sighed. _Well, maybe I’ll run into him around campus. I'd feel awkward asking Phineas to set up a meeting._

* * *

Ferb arrived home after his chemistry lab session, finding the flat unexpectedly empty. Phineas was supposed to be working on dinner, since he had gotten out of class earliest; presumably, he'd been distracted by something shiny. Ferb knew what that meant - takeaway from Marshwood House of Pizza again. Phineas had an odd fondness for their greasy pizza; Isabella thought it was okay, but Ferb considered it tolerable at best. He pondered just cooking up something for himself, but decided against it. Maybe he was guessing wrong.

Instead, he decided to work on his calculus homework. He was halfway through when Phineas arrived, carrying one of the dreaded grease bombs from around the corner. Ferb sighed and pondered what he could do as an alternative.

“Hey, Ferb, guess who I ran into today?”

Ferb looked up and raised an eyebrow.

“Remember Vanessa Doofenshmirtz? She’s my instructor for Physics recitation.”

Ferb dropped his pencil.Memories of the crush he'd had on her jumped through his head, a crush that had only been cured by her vanishing from his life for years on end. _She probably doesn't even remember me._

“She said to say ‘Hi’, and asked how you were doing.”

“Did she, now?” _Just being friendly, I'm sure. No reason to think there's anything there._

“It was kind of weird. I mentioned we lived with Isabella, and she got real interested in our living arrangements all of a sudden.”

_Fine, Phineas. Yes, I'm still interested in her. It's not like my dating life has been sunshine and roses like yours has._

Ferb smiled. "Thank you. I think I'll look into this." _And I'll even forgive you for the pizza, with that news._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The details of miniaturization technology, and how it made Phineas, Ferb, and Isabella world-famous, are told in ‘Founding the Foundation’, available at finer fanfic sites. And this one.
> 
> I’ve decided that, in a world with mad scientists, the study of mad science will generally fall under the physics department. I base this on my experience dealing with physics professors.
> 
> Marshwood House of Pizza is based on fond memories of several different places in the northeast US (which Marshwood isn’t in, but that’s beside the point). Greek-owned pizza places called (Town Name) House of Pizza are quite common there, often with one in every town, and they all tend to specialize in deliciously greasy pizza. Suffice it to say I’m on Phineas’s side for that one.


	2. Lunch

Vanessa sighed and sat back in her desk chair. The numbers just didn't add up, and she couldn't see why not. She rubbed her eyes and stretched, glad the three other grad students she shared the cramped office with weren't in yet. _Maybe it’s time for a break. Yay, last night’s leftovers for lunch. The life of a grad student is just one constant party._

She was leaning forward for one last look at her laptop when there was a knock at the door. “It’s open,” she said loudly without looking up.

The door opened and a deep British voice said, “Hello, Vanessa." It ran up and down her spine like an electric jolt, setting her senses on alert. _I'd forgotten what that voice does to me._

The numbers forgotten, she turned toward the door. A tall man with green hair and a square nose stood there, smiling at her. “Ferb! Phineas said you were going here. What brings you by?”

“I was wondering if you’d like some lunch? My treat.”

Vanessa briefly pondered her leftovers. Very briefly. “I’d love to.”

* * *

The small Indian restaurant just off campus was crowded with the lunchtime rush, but they managed to grab a small table for two in the corner. The room was filled with the spicy smells of curries, and the air rang with the clattering of silverware and the chattering of students.

“So what have you been up to?” Vanessa asked. “Last time I saw you you were...well, still shorter than me. And certainly not famous for shaking up the worlds of physics and engineering, and then giving the inventions to the public domain.”

Ferb smiled. “We had never realized that what we did couldn't be replicated by just anyone, and it never lasted more than a day anyway, so we'd never tried. We had to work out miniaturization to cure Isabella's mother's cancer, but then we decided to try to make it work for everyone. And how about you? Last time I saw you, you were a sophomore at the Ackerton School of Business, heading off to an internship at some big brokerage.”

“I should have listened to you, Ferb. I hated it at Ackerton so much, but I finished my degree in business, like my mother wanted. Graduated a semester early, magna cum laude. Anyway, I went to work on Wall Street, which wasn't so bad, but then your announcement hit the news and I realized I was wasting my life there. I wanted to challenge the world like my Dad does...like you and Phineas do. You guys inspired me, to be honest. I applied to grad school, and Mom said that if that was what I wanted, I was an adult now and got to make my own mistakes, but she wasn't paying for them."

Ferb raised an eyebrow.

“Fortunately, I got a research assistant position here with Professor Grunwald, so I get a stipend and my tuition is waived. I saved up what I could, until I just couldn't take it any more, then I quit Wall Street and went to visit my Dad for a month or so. He even let me build a couple -inators of my own, although I let him deal with his nemesis. I stopped by to visit, but you were in England for some reason that your mother was vague about."

"Family issues," Ferb said tersely, in a tone implying he didn't wish to discuss it further.

Their food arrived, and conversation paused for vindaloo and naan. Immediate hungers sated, Vanessa spoke first. “So...how did Phineas and Isabella end up together, after all? Last I knew she had a massive crush on him and he was completely oblivious.”

“He was never oblivious. He just wasn’t ready.”

She cocked her head, puzzled.

“He knew. After Paris, I finally broke down and told him, and he said he'd known all along. But, given her crush, he only had a few choices. He could tell her ‘no’, and break her heart, but he liked her too much for that. He could tell her ‘yes’, and jump into a relationship that he wasn’t ready for...and, realistically, neither was she. He could tell her ‘not yet’, which would either be taken as ‘no’, or she’d switch over from throwing herself at him to get his attention to throwing herself at him to see if he was ready yet.”

“Like a six-year-old on a long car trip - ‘Are you ready now? How about now? Is now good?’”

“Precisely. So he did the only thing he could - he played dumb.”

“So what changed?”

“They got stranded back in time together for a couple days, and the truth came out. By some miracle, they managed to make it work.”

She whistled appreciatively. “They actually managed to turn adolescent crushes into a functional adult relationship. ‘Miracle’ is the right word, I think.”

“It must be something that runs in the Flynn family. Candace had - if you can believe it - an even bigger crush on Jeremy.”

“I don’t know that I can believe it. I don’t know how that’s even _possible._ ”

“Isabella never built a shrine to Phineas...that I know of. Anyway, Candace and Jeremy got married the summer before last. Their daughter, Amanda, has her first birthday in a couple weeks.”

Vanessa thought for a second, and said, “Um...premature birth? Or premature conception?”

“The latter. They were already engaged when they found out. They just accelerated the wedding.”

“Ah.” She smiled at him slyly. “So, it doesn’t run in the Fletcher family?”

“It hasn’t worked for me so far.”

“No special lady in your life?”

He gave her an unreadable look. “I’m not seeing anyone at this time. And you? Any special guy sharing your life?”

She laughed. “No, not since I broke up with Monty before college. And that was never really much of a thing, it was more a way to annoy our fathers.”

Ferb gave her a puzzled smile.

“So my Dad’s this evil scientist, and there’s this organization that exists to fight people like him.”

“The O.W.C.A.” He pronounced each letter of the acronym separately. “When we were getting ready to leave for college, we finally got told what was going on. Our pet platypus was an agent, and had to stay in Danville. Phineas was livid when he found out, but he forgave Perry once they told him why. Perry has a new home now, but still stops by to visit occasionally when we’re in the area. I'm not sure Phineas will ever forgive Major Monogram, to be honest.”

“I think your platypus is my Dad’s nemesis, actually.”

Ferb’s eyebrows went up.

“But, anyway, Major Monogram had a son, Monty, and we went out for a while, casually seeing each other. Mostly because our dads were arch-enemies.”

Ferb nodded. “Nothing since then? I find it hard to believe nobody’s expressed interest in you.”

She shook her head ruefully. “There were some guys at business school who were interested, but...they wanted me as a trophy. Not as a person. Or they wanted access to my mother. They wouldn’t have been the sort of guys I could just sit at lunch with for an hour...” She looked at her watch, and grimaced. “Hour and a half? Yipe. I need to get back, my office hours start in 15 minutes. Thank you for lunch, Ferb. This has been very nice.”

“What are you up to tonight?” he asked.

“Nothing much. Nothing to grade, and no homework yet, so I’ve pretty much got the night off.”

“We’re just going to hang out and watch a movie tonight. You’re welcome to come over if you’d like.”

She smiled at him. “I think I’d like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The details of Phineas and Isabella starting their relationship were covered in ‘Back in Time for Dinner’. Ferb's advice to Vanessa was covered in 'Not Responsible For Advice Not Taken'. References to Ackerton are stolen from karly05’s fabulous Ferbnessa series (at fanfiction.net), although I’ve repurposed it a bit and specifically sent Vanessa to a fancy business school there instead of Ackerton State.


	3. Movie Night

Vanessa stared at her closet. _What do I wear?_ She looked down at what she considered her grad student uniform, a solid-colored blouse (today’s was a deep blue), black jeans, and boots. The closet had several variants on that, and off to one side, her business suits from her Wall Street days. A few dresses hid in the back. There weren’t a lot of options for what to wear on...was this a date? _Why did I even agree to this? He had a crush on me back when he was ten, for crying out loud._

_He’s not ten anymore. He’s eighteen, and no guy has made you feel like this since the first time you went out with Monty._

_Yeah, and we saw how well that worked out, didn’t we?_

_Monty didn’t have that accent. Or those eyes. Or have as much of a clue on...well, anything._

She sighed. She'd realized long ago that romance just wasn't her strong point. Sitting on her bed, she could hear Jack laughing at some stupid reality TV show. _I need to get out of here. I'll just go like this._ She grabbed her coat, waved to Lisa and Jack on her way through the living room, and went out to her car. The address Ferb had given her was close enough to walk - just four blocks away - but she didn't care for the idea of walking home that late. As she started the car, a few flurries started to fall.

* * *

Ferb hurried home from his last class and started cleaning. Not that the flat was dirty, but he needed something to take his mind off of...well, he hesitated to call it a date _per se_. Isabella arrived and, upon being told that they were having company over, pitched in. Phineas came in and was told in no uncertain terms that he was going to help, and was not to cause any trouble or attempt to invent any new cleaning devices, or else.

Finally, the flat was cleaned to Ferb’s satisfaction, or at least to the point where further cleaning wouldn’t be effective at distracting him. He began preparing dinner - movie night called for pizza, but he could certainly do better than Phineas’s favourite takeaway shop...not that that was difficult. Phineas and Isabella wandered off into their room; Ferb turned on the telly to provide background noise.

The appointed time arrived, and Ferb began to pace. _She’s not here yet. She’s decided not to come after all. She..._

The doorbell rang. _She’s here!_

He greeted Vanessa at the door. “Welcome,” he said, taking her coat and hanging it on the coat rack by the door.

She looked around at the spacious modern kitchen, all done in granite and stainless steel, with a comfortable-looking living area beyond. “This is really nice. Just the three of you here? I think just these two rooms are bigger than my whole apartment, and I’m sharing that with another grad student. And her boyfriend, half the time.”

He smiled. "Dinner should be ready in about ten minutes. Homemade pizza."

"Sounds wonderful!" She looked around. "Where are Phineas and Isabella?"

"They should be out presently. The bedsprings stopped squeaking about fifteen minutes ago, and the shower stopped just before you arrived."

She smirked. "Really?"

He rolled his eyes and smiled, but before he could say anything, the door on the far side of the living area opened. Phineas and Isabella came out, both still a little flushed and damp. "Hi, Vanessa!" Phineas said.

"Finally, someone to help counterbalance the testosterone overload in our movie choices," Isabella said.

"I don't know, Isabella, I was thinking that some explosions sounded good tonight," Vanessa replied.

Isabella sighed and shook her head.

Ferb pointed everyone else toward the telly. “Go pick a movie. I’ll bring the pizza in when it’s ready.” Discussion began about the movie, with Phineas and Vanessa combining to choose a recent superhero team-up movie and convincing Isabella to go along based on the number of attractive men in skin-tight Spandex involved. The opening scene was just starting when Ferb put the two pizzas on the coffee table in front of the couch. Phineas and Isabella were (as expected) curled up together at one end of the couch, and Vanessa had put herself next to them, leaving him the end of the couch next to her.

He took the remaining seat, and thought. _Now what do I do?_

* * *

Vanessa hadn't enjoyed a night like this in years. Business school had been a slog full of Type-A egotistical asses, and Wall Street had been only slightly better. She hadn't found anyone at Quasi-Tech yet that she'd really fit in with; the other physics grad students weren't sure what to make of someone with a business degree who'd only minored in physics previously. But now, enjoying Ferb's excellent homemade pizza and watching a brain-candy movie with people who were obviously having a good time, she felt herself relaxing in a way she hadn't since high school.

The first action section of the movie ended, and some slower character-building began. She sat back on the couch, only to find Ferb's arm resting across the back of the cushion...and then across her shoulders. She looked at him; while his face was as calm and self-assured as ever, his eyes showed a lurking fear that he'd pushed too far.

She leaned back into his arm and smiled. _Is this happiness? I'd forgotten._

* * *

The movie ended with everyone on the edge of their seats, cheering on the heroes as they saved the city from the invading aliens. As the credits rolled, Vanessa stretched and asked where the bathroom was.

Ferb mentally kicked himself. _Spent all day cleaning the kitchen, and forgot to clean your bedroom. Stupid git._

He pointed to the door on the far side of the kitchen. "There's no lav in the public areas, so you'll have to go through my room. Through that door, then the first door on the left."

* * *

She crossed through into his room, not sure what she'd find. It was only slightly cluttered, although that stood out in comparison to the surgical cleanliness of the living areas. _Interesting. He didn't think I'd see this area, presumably._ She was surprisingly pleased at the thought; it meant he wasn’t just trying to get her to spend the night. His queen-size bed was unmade, and clearly had only had one occupant. His desk had textbooks haphazardly piled on top, and three family pictures: one of his whole family in front of the Christmas tree, including Isabella, Jeremy, and a baby girl with wispy red hair; one of Phineas and Isabella; and one of him, Phineas, and a fedora-clad Perry. She was smiling as she stepped into the bathroom.

Taking care of her business, she looked around at the contents of the bathroom counter. Toothbrush and paste, comb, floss, mouthwash, empty cup, deodorant, soap, and a straight razor with brush and mug. She finished and washed her hands, looking at herself in the mirror.

_So. He clearly is interested. What do you want to do about it?_

_Ever since you were sixteen, he's been there for you with help and good advice. If you'd listened to him four years ago, you might have actually enjoyed your early twenties._

_And now he's grown up. And damn, did he turn out hot. And that's not even counting the way his accent turns your knees to jelly._

_I think...we'll give it a try._

* * *

Phineas looked at Ferb. "I think I'm going to go to bed early. Unless you two need a chaperone?"

Ferb gave him a steady look.

Vanessa returned, and Phineas and Isabella headed back toward their room. “Sorry, folks, I’ve got an early class tomorrow morning. I’m going to go crash early,” Phineas said.

“And I think I’m going to go join him,” Isabella added, closing the door behind them.

Vanessa sat on the couch, a bit farther from Ferb but still within arm’s reach, and nodded her head at the door. “Again? Or are they trying to give us some privacy?”

Ferb shrugged. “A little of both, I suspect. They’re both very...tactile people. And while they did insist on sharing a room over Christmas, apparently they found being at home a bit inhibiting. Here, we need something as background noise. The soundproofing here is good, but not _quite_ good enough. Would you care to choose?”

Vanessa took the remote from him. “BBC nature documentary? Will that do?”

Ferb smiled. “Marvelously.” He sat back in the corner of the couch, one arm spread along the cushion, and gave her a look of hesitant invitation.

Instead of accepting, she turned and faced him. "Can we just talk for a minute?"

Ferb sat up and faced her in return. "Certainly."

"You mentioned the family history of perpetual crushes. You haven't been waiting for me since you were ten, have you?"

He smiled. "I'm sorry, no, I haven't. I hope you aren’t disappointed. I did have a massive crush on you, but I'd given up on that since the last time I saw you. You never came back, and so I moved on. I had a girlfriend in high school for a month or so, but it didn't work out."

"I didn't want to go back to Danville if I could help it - I'd visit for Christmas day and then drive back. I was so mad at my mother, and...I didn't want you telling me 'I told you so'."

"I wouldn't have."

"Just seeing you would have been enough to rub it in, I think."

He nodded. "Why did you decide to go back to Ackerton? You seemed desperately unhappy with the idea."

"I just...couldn't fight Mom on that. She never understood that when I talked about transferring, it wasn't because I didn't think I could cut it at Ackerton, it was because I didn't like the people there."

"My suggestion was certainly much easier said than done," he granted.

She nodded. "So...if you'd moved on, why did you come track me down the next day after Phineas told you I was on campus?"

"Just because I'd moved on didn't mean I'd forgotten you. Why did you stop by last summer?"

"Touché. I needed somebody to talk to. And I guess...I always knew that when you got older, you'd be an incredible guy."

"Am I older now?"

"Old enough, I think. And pretty incredible."

She started leaning toward him for a kiss; he met her halfway.

The rest of the world seemed to go away as their lips met. His arms wrapped around her waist as she put hers around the back of his neck. Carefully, he leaned backwards, gently pulling her down on top of him as he shifted back onto the arm of the couch. He straightened his legs and lay back, Vanessa stretching out on top of him. He reached up and ran his fingers through her long brown hair, causing her to sigh appreciatively as she leaned down for another kiss.

* * *

The nature show had ended at some point, but neither had noticed. They were stretched out side by side along the couch, alternating between unhurried kisses and slow caresses.

Vanessa was stroking his chest through his shirt when her phone beeped. With an apologetic smile at Ferb, she sat up and pulled it out of her pocket. _Why is Lisa sending me a text?_

**u ok? storm looks bad out there**

"Storm? What storm?"

She looked out the window. A heavy snow was blowing past it, sideways.

Ferb pulled out his own phone and checked the weather. “The snow’s supposed to stop around 4 am. I’d greatly appreciate it if you spent the night here, under the circumstances. The plows should have cleared the roads by morning.”

Vanessa tensed. _I had really hoped he wasn’t going to suggest that, although it makes more sense than driving home through this._

Ferb continued, “As a guest, I’ll let you have first choice of the bed or the couch. I’ll take the other.”

Vanessa relaxed a bit.

Ferb reached up and stroked her hair. “While I’ll confess that the idea is certainly tempting, I'm not ready for any more than that yet.”

Vanessa nodded. “That makes two of us. I’ll take the couch.”

“I’ll go get you a pillow and some blankets,” Ferb said, and headed toward his bedroom.

Vanessa sent a reply to Lisa.

**I’m OK. Crashing here for the night.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second time this story when the characters surprised me (the first shows up later): He met her halfway. Totally didn't get the significance when I wrote it.


	4. Interrogation

Vanessa awoke to the smell of coffee and the sound of bustle in the kitchen. She looked around, briefly puzzled until she remembered the events of last night with a smile. On the coffee table in front of her, a folded piece of paper had the word ‘Vanessa’ written on it in a precise engineer’s hand. She sat up and looked inside it.

**Dear Vanessa,**

**Please accept my apologies for not remaining until you arose this morning, but I had an early class to attend.**

**I had a marvelous time last night, and would be honoured and delighted to see you again.**

**Sincerely,**

Below that was a pair of interlocked F’s as a signature, followed by:

**P.S. You looked so lovely sleeping that I couldn’t bear the thought of awakening you prematurely.**

Vanessa grinned at the note and carefully put it in her pocket.

“Oh, you’re awake,” Isabella said from the kitchen. “Coffee?”

“Please,” Vanessa said, standing up and walking toward the kitchen. 

“What kind? Ferb built a machine that’ll dispense whatever coffee variant you want.”

“Mocha cappuccino?”

Isabella tapped the control pads on the coffee machine. “Coming up. Ferb told Phineas about the storm last night, and Phineas left me a note before he went to class.”

The machine dinged and a door opened, revealing a steaming mug. Isabella passed it over as Vanessa sat at the breakfast bar on the kitchen counter. Isabella sat across from her with her own coffee, and looked the older woman in the eye.

“So...” Isabella inquired, “What’s up with you and Ferb?”

Vanessa laughed. “Sorry, I expected Phineas to do the ‘what are your intentions toward Ferb’ interrogation, not you.”

Isabella smiled. “He wouldn’t. Phineas just assumes everything will work out, and doesn’t worry about how. The rest of us get caught up making sure he’s right.” She looked down into her coffee cup, then back up at Vanessa, the smile fading. “Beyond that...I _owe_ Ferb. More than I can ever repay.”

Vanessa cocked her head in invitation for her to continue.

“I’m not sure how much Ferb told you about how Phineas and I got involved.”

“He said it took a miracle. You two managed to turn preteen crushes into a real adult relationship.”

Isabella laughed. “A miracle. Sure. A miracle named Ferb Fletcher.”

Vanessa’s eyes widened over the rim of her coffee cup.

“There were easily half a dozen times our relationship should have blown up horribly. Ferb was there every time to catch us first. There I was, a teenage girl who’d been living in fantasy land for years, half-expecting centaurs and rainbows, jumping into the middle of two brothers who couldn’t be closer if they were identical twins. It couldn’t have ever worked without Ferb’s active support. Did he tell you how we first got together?”

“He said you got stuck back in time for a couple days.”

“Ferb left us there. Deliberately, in hopes that we’d get together.”

Vanessa laughed. "It worked, obviously."

“He later said he’d been considering locking us in a room together, but this way was better because we couldn’t get out on our own.”

“Why did he do it?”

“Because he wanted Phineas to be happy. He knew Phineas was interested in me, but kept saying he wasn't ready. Here I’d thought Phineas was being oblivious, but the only one who didn’t really know what was going on was me.” Isabella finished her coffee. “So, I might as well ask it straight out, then. What _are_ your intentions toward Ferb?”

“I honestly don’t know yet. I haven’t felt like this about a guy since high school. For right now, I think we’re just seeing where this goes.”

Isabella nodded. “That’s fine. I’m mostly...hoping this works out for you. I’d like to see Ferb happy.”

Vanessa smiled. “I think I would too. But right now, I need to get back to my apartment for a shower and get into the office. Thank you for the coffee, and the backstory.”

“...backstory?”

“Sorry, I spent too much time with my Dad over Christmas, apparently.”

* * *

Ferb was packing up his notebook after the morning Materials lecture when his phone vibrated in his pocket. A quick look showed a message from Vanessa.

**I had a marvelous time too. My treat for lunch today?**

Well, that was as good as he could possibly hope for.

**Certainly. Meet at your office at 11:30?**

**I’ll see you then.**

Ferb smiled and headed off to Calculus.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Geez, another recap of ‘Back in Time for Dinner’, with some references to ‘Firsts’ as well. You’d think all I was doing was recapping my older stories at this point.


	5. Road Trip

Vanessa sat at the kitchen table with Ferb, working on her Thermodynamics homework as he worked on Materials. She’d taken to doing her homework there over the first two weeks of the semester, largely as an excuse to spend more time with Ferb. Lisa had gotten used to her late arrivals home, and had merely commented that she looked a lot happier on the increasingly rare occasions they ran into each other.

Ferb reached for his phone, vibrating in his pocket, and answered a call. “Yes, Candace?

“Yes, I know, it’s on Saturday.

“Yes...oh, Mum told you? Reasonably serious. We’re spending a lot of time together.

“I’ll ask.” He muted the phone and turned to Vanessa. “My niece Amanda’s first birthday party is on Saturday, and Candace would like to know if you’d care to attend. I suspect she’s proxying for my mother, as an excuse to get you there to meet the family.”

“You have to go regardless, right?”

“Oh, yes. I had planned to ride with Phineas and Isabella, but if you go along, we’d probably take two cars. I know they’re planning to stop by and visit Isabella’s parents while they’re in the neighborhood.”

“That’s not a bad idea, actually. Tell Candace I’ll go, and I’ll talk to my father and set up a visit with my parents, so we can get them both out of the way at once. What time will the party be done?”

He unmuted his phone. “Candace? Vanessa will attend. What time are you expecting it to finish?” He pulled the phone away from his face. “She says about three o'clock.”

“Okay. I’ll call Dad.”

* * *

Saturday morning, Ferb picked her up in front of her apartment. They stopped for breakfast at a small diner he’d found on the outskirts of Marshwood.

“Oh, these are really good blueberry pancakes,” Vanessa said. “Not quite as good as doonkelberries, but the next-best thing. How’s the French toast?”

Ferb nodded appreciatively.

Vanessa swallowed another bite of pancakes, then smiled at the young man across from her. “So, I never have managed to get an answer to this. What is Ferb short for?” she asked, then took a sip of water.

Ferb sighed, and looked down at his plate. “Ferbinand.”

Vanessa choked on her water. “Ferbinand?”

“The woman who gave birth to me - Millicent - had dyslexia issues, and reversed the first ‘d’ in her attempt to name me Ferdinand Magellan Fletcher. She also misspelt ‘Magellan’, so I ended up as Ferbinand Majellan, with a ‘j’. Everyone decided it was too ‘charming’ to fix, so it stuck.”

Vanessa’s eyes narrowed. “The woman who gave birth to you. That’s an oddly specific way of referring to her.”

“I do not wish to _inadvertently_ insult her by granting her a title she did not earn. My _mother_ is Linda,” he said insistently.

“What did Millicent do?”

Ferb sat back in the booth and stared into the distance. “She left. I was five months old, and she decided she didn’t want my father or me any more, so she left a note and vanished. On Valentine’s Day, of all days. I might have been willing to forgive that, or at least not been quite so upset about it, had she not gotten in contact with us last summer.”

“What happened...wait. You were back in England for what you called ‘family issues’ last summer.”

“Yes. Once the Fletcher-Flynn Foundation went public, she contacted my father and said she’d made a terrible mistake and wanted to meet her _dear_ son again,” he said in a voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Okay. And?”

“Once we were in England, she tried to fight for custody and control of my part of the Foundation, claiming my father had stolen me away from her and she’d had no idea at all where I was until she saw me in the paper. I was still seventeen, so she got an injunction preventing me from leaving the country while custody was still in dispute. They confiscated both my passports."

"Both?" Vanessa asked.

"UK and US. My father and I were naturalized as US citizens when I was young. Anyway, Millicent started to hint about how she’d drop the fight...for a suitable payoff. Which would all go to my half-siblings, she said. I wouldn't have counted on there being any left once they reached majority."

"Half-siblings?"

“A girl and a boy, Amelia and Henry...they’d be 11 and 9 now.” He showed her a picture on his phone of a green-haired girl with her arm around a brown-haired boy. “Amelia got Millicent’s green hair like I did. I wish I could do something to help them out without going through Millicent. It’s not their fault she is what she is.”

“Huh. So what did you do about her offer?”

“Fortunately, my father still had the original letter she had left. It took mum a week or so to find it, once it became clear what she was angling for, and then a month to convince a judge what was going on. We were concerned I wouldn’t make it back in time for the start of the school year, but the injunction was dropped with a week to spare.”

“Must have been tempting to pay her off.”

“Not in the slightest. I’d rather pile up every dollar the Foundation has and light it on fire than give her one penny,” Ferb said vehemently.

“I...see. So when you said you don’t want to inadvertently insult her...”

“I prefer to do it deliberately and with malice aforethought.”

* * *

Ferb looked over at where Vanessa was busily talking to his father. Lawrence was smiling at what she had to say, although Ferb couldn’t tell what it was from here.

“So, is this another one-month-wonder like your relationship with Gretchen?” Candace asked him quietly as she came up on him from behind.

Ferb glared at her. “I certainly hope not.” His expression softened as he looked back over at Vanessa. “I’m doing everything I can to make sure it isn’t.”

Candace reached up to ruffle his hair. “Good for you. She’s certainly charmed the socks off of Mom and Dad.”

* * *

Ferb carefully drove the short distance from Candace and Jeremy’s house to the Doofenshmirtz Evil, Inc. building. "Phineas seemed kind of annoyed at you," Vanessa said. "What's up?"

"He was hoping I'd be riding with him and Isabella, so they'd have an excuse to leave Isabella's family at a reasonable hour. They're wonderful people, but he'll be lucky to be home before midnight. If I'd been along, they could have used me as an excuse to head back after dinner.

“Mum and Dad seemed to like you,” he added.

“Did they? I couldn’t really tell.”

“You were too busy being charming to notice how well it was working. Candace was impressed."

"Really?"

"Dad is content as long as I'm happy - and I am. Mum thinks you've got great potential above and beyond that. A business degree from Ackerton and now working on a doctorate at Quasi-Tech - those are impressive credentials. Heir to the Doofenshmirtz business empire is just icing on the cake."

"I don't want Mom's _empire_."

"I know, Vanessa."

* * *

Vanessa leaned on the patio railing and looked out over Danville from her father's lab/apartment.

"You seem happy, Vanessa," her father said. "I don't know how long it’s been since I've seen you this happy."

"Thanks, Dad. It's been a while."

"You were happier over Christmas than before, but not this happy, so I have to assume it's...him. He still looks like a hoodlum, with that green hair..."

“It’s natural, Dad, he doesn’t dye it.”

“...but I’ll put up with a hoodlum to have my baby girl this happy again.”

He looked over at the couch inside the apartment, where Ferb and Charlene sat talking.

"He seems to be getting along well with your mother."

"He does. Internationally-renowned scientist and engineer seems to be satisfactory, from her perspective," Vanessa said with just a hint of bitterness.

"Now, Vanessa. You know she loves you and wants the best for you."

"Whether I agree with her on what's best or not."

Heinz shook his head and gave his daughter a hug. "She means well."

"I know. I'm just...I feel like I wasted so much time doing what she wanted, instead of what I wanted."

A small turquoise shape fell from the sky, landing on the patio near them.

Heinz turned toward it. "Perry the Platypus! Nice of you to drop in, but I don't have any evil plans today. I'm just meeting up with my daughter's new boyfriend. He's in there talking to my ex-wife."

Perry looked over at the couch, and froze.

Ferb excused himself and came out to the patio. "Hullo, Perry. I'd heard you were Vanessa's father's nemesis. Are you doing okay?"

Perry nodded, and jumped up to give him a hug.

"I've missed you, Perry. It's lonely at night without you," he said, hugging the platypus back.

Heinz looked from young man to platypus and back. "You two know each other?"

Vanessa spoke up, her eyes moist. "Perry used to be his pet platypus. Ferb and his brother Phineas were his host family."

"Huh. Small world, eh?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ferb makes Millicent out as pretty evil here, but it's worth noting that there are other sides to that story and Ferb's interpretation of what happened isn't necessarily accurate. (Or, to put it another way: yay unreliable narrator!) Amelia and Henry will show up in later stories.


	6. The Ride Home

They'd just gotten back on the road after stopping for dinner on the trip back to Marshwood. Vanessa looked across at Ferb, driving his hand-restored hot rod with the same care and precision he applied to everything he did.

"Your mother mentioned Monty while I was talking to her," Ferb said. "I didn't think your parents knew about him."

"Mom knew," Vanessa replied. "Dad...I don't think Dad does even now. Mom didn't really care for him anyway - he couldn’t really explain what he did, since Mom never bought into the idea of Dad being evil. And after the breakup..."

"What happened?" Ferb asked. "If you don't mind me asking."

"No, it's okay. If we are getting serious, you deserve to know what minefields you're looking at."

He looked over at her and smiled before turning his eyes back to the road.

"We went out for about a year. Casual, off-and-on, because we had to keep it hidden from our fathers. Or so I thought," she began.

Ferb raised an eyebrow.

"It turns out his father found out about six months in, and was actually pleased about it. Redeeming the fair maiden from her father's evil ways, that sort of thing. About then, he started seriously trying to get me to go to bed with him. I'll admit the idea didn't sound all bad to me, but something told me it wasn't a good idea.

"So we got to the anniversary of our first date, and he 'confessed' his love to me, and I finally decided to just go ahead and do it. And so we did, and...well, to be honest, it wasn't all that great. And then, afterwards, I caught him talking to his father about it. His father was proud of him. It was like, by having sex with me, he was vicariously screwing my father.”

Ferb winced at the image.

“I stormed in and yelled at both of them and broke up with Monty on the spot. He never even tried calling back to get me to change my mind. I think sleeping with Monty was the biggest mistake I ever made. Even more than anything to do with Ackerton."

"Don't think of it as a mistake. Think of it as a learning experience."

"Hah. And what did I learn?"

"That a guy who's continuously pushing for something you're not comfortable with isn’t worth your time? That when your gut is telling you not to do something, you should pay attention?"

Vanessa snorted. "Okay. How about you? Any 'learning experiences' I should know about?"

Ferb got a slightly wistful smile on his face. "I mentioned Gretchen to you, I think?"

"You mentioned a girlfriend in high school. Is that her?"

"Yes, yes it is. It's a bit complicated, so I need to give some background on how we got to that point. Do you mind?"

She gestured out at the road. "It's not like I'm going anywhere."

“This was the summer before last. Between junior and senior years of high school. You know how, in high school, everybody's paying attention to what the other couples are doing, or at least claiming to be doing, sexually? Trying not to be the furthest along, but not the furthest behind either?"

Vanessa nodded.

"So a couple in our group got caught _in flagrante delicto_ in the back seat of his car. By her father, a police officer."

Vanessa put her hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. "Phineas and...no, wait, Isabella's father isn't a police officer. Who, then?" she asked.

"I'll leave names out to protect the guilty. I don't think you know them, anyway."

"Okay."

"So, Gretchen and I were the two primary unattached folks in that social circle, and people had been trying to fix us up for years. Now suddenly our friends are going all the way, and we're not even able to start. We decided to give it a shot after all."

"And?"

He gave her an embarrassed smile and continued, "One thing led to another, and we ended up having sex a few times, but...there really wasn't a spark there. It was nice, but...it was just physical. Phineas came back from his first time with Isabella, and was talking about how connected they felt, and...it just wasn't there with Gretchen. Fortunately, she had figured out the same thing, so it was a clean break-up. We dated for about a month from start to finish.”

Vanessa interrupted, “Wait, you broke up because after a month, you weren’t as close as Phineas and Isabella were after two years?”

“No, that wasn’t it. We broke up because it didn’t seem possible that we’d ever get that sort of connection. It wasn’t because it wasn’t there yet. There was friendship, and lust, but...never really love.

“Dad had warned me about exactly what happened. After the backseat incident, we all got talks from our parents, and then when Gretchen and I started dating I got another. And one of the things that Dad specifically warned me about, both times, was jumping into having sex too soon - using it as a replacement for building an emotional connection, instead of as part of one that we’d already built.

“This was why I said I wasn’t ready for anything that first night. I’ve already wrecked one relationship by going too far too fast.” He reached over and took her hand. “This means too much to me to risk another wreck. I learned from experience.”

She squeezed his hand. “Thank you, Ferb. Thank you for telling me...and for listening to me. Thank you for not pushing me. I need to work things through in my own head before we get to that point. When we’re both ready...believe me, the idea doesn’t sound bad at _all_.”

“No, it doesn’t. Just...not yet.” He paused, and said, “I love you, Vanessa.”

Vanessa inhaled sharply as her brain went on alert. _...he isn’t Monty. He’s proved he isn’t Monty._

Concern in his voice, Ferb asked, “I’m sorry, was that too much? I...”

She squeezed his hand again. “No, it’s okay. I just...” She sighed. “Monty tried saying that at the end when he was trying to get me to go to bed with him. It sounds different when you say it. He made it sound like he was doing me a favor. You make it sound like I’m giving you a gift.”

“You are. Just being with you is the greatest gift I’ve ever received.”

“Thank you, Ferb. I’m sorry my head is such a mess.” She took a deep breath, and looked over at him, a smile spreading across her face. “I love you too, Ferb.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story of the summer Ferb describes is being told in ‘Something Special’, although it’s worth noting that that is an M-rated fic. (And, given what Ferb says about that summer, I suspect you can guess why.) However, I've tried to make sure there's nothing missing from here that makes reading that necessary.


	7. Valentine's Day

They got into a rhythm over the next few weeks. Vanessa spent most evenings and weekend days with Ferb; since she ate dinner with him, Phineas, and Isabella more often than not, she started chipping in toward the grocery bill, and cooked dinner with Ferb a few times. Since her budget wasn't up to going out to lunch every day, and she felt guilty about having him pay for everything, they instead alternated bringing lunch for both of them. Weekends were busy with schoolwork, but they were able to get out in the evenings and explore the area, or sometimes just stay at the apartment, watching TV and playing games with Phineas and Isabella.

As Valentine's Day approached, Isabella warned her not to expect a big production, and told her the story of Tim Flynn, Phineas's biological father who had suddenly died on February 13; combined with Millicent's departure on the 14th, Vanessa understood why it wasn't a popular holiday in the Fletcher-Flynn household. Ferb, however, seemed to feel that he had to do  _something_ , but wouldn't tell her what it was.

It fell on a Tuesday this year, so Ferb had a late chemistry lab and Isabella had a class that ran until dinner time. Vanessa finished up some work in her office after her recitation section and walked over to the 'flat', as Ferb insisted on calling it. Phineas was there, playing a video game, when she arrived. She grabbed a seat on the couch and read the material for her general relativity course as he played.

Ferb arrived home and gave her a quick kiss before busying himself in the kitchen. She looked at him and Phineas oddly; Phineas usually cooked on Tuesday nights, since he was home first.  _At least this means it isn't House of Pizza again._  She didn't particularly object to their pizza, but she knew Ferb didn't care for it much.

A few minutes before Isabella usually arrived, Phineas quit his game and went into the bedroom, emerging dressed up in a sharp grey suit, pink shirt, and a bright red tie with white hearts on it. A grey fedora and a bouquet of roses completed the ensemble.

Vanessa asked, puzzled, "But...I thought you guys didn't do anything for Valentine's Day?"

Phineas smiled at her. "We haven't before. Mom couldn't cope so well with it, and Dad wasn't thrilled with the day either. But, if you'll note, neither of them is here."

From the kitchen, Ferb said, "Hopefully you don't mind. Phineas is taking Isabella out, and I was thinking we could have a nice dinner for two here."

She joined Ferb in the kitchen and pulled him in for a kiss. "Nope. I don't mind at all."

"Happy Valentine's Day, love," he said, nuzzling her hair.

Isabella came in the front door, only to be greeted by Phineas. "Happy Valentine's Day, dear," he said, presenting her with the bouquet.

Isabella dropped her books and almost tackled Phineas in a hug. "Thank you!" she squealed before backing off with a concerned look. "...but...your parents..."

"Aren't here. I think, at this point, Tim would want us to go on with our lives and be happy. And I know how much you've wanted a romantic Valentine's Day. Why don't you go get dressed up; we have dinner reservations in an hour at La Primavera."

"An hour? I need to go get ready!" She gave him a quick kiss and ran for their bedroom door. Shaking his head, Phineas picked up her books and followed her.

Vanessa watched them go from her vantage point in Ferb's arms. "Has she always been this big on fairytale romance?"

"No, she used to be worse. Being in an actual relationship has calmed her down on that front considerably," Ferb answered.

Vanessa shuddered. "So what do we have planned for tonight?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"I was thinking candlelit dinner for two, followed by something forgettable on the telly which we won't pay any attention to."

She felt a strong urge to kiss that smirk off his face, which may have been the point, but he continued.

"And then, unfortunately, I'll probably need to get you back to your apartment relatively early, since I have an early Materials lecture tomorrow."

She nodded, a small tendril of doubt trickling into the back of her brain. "I'll let you finish cooking then. Anything I can do to help?"

"Not quite yet. Give me about five more minutes and then this needs to sit in the oven for a while."

She took a seat at the kitchen table and watched him putting the finishing touches on...something small that sat in a pair of ramekins, which he placed in the lower oven before starting a timer. He looked in the upper oven, nodded at what he saw, and closed it again before coming over and sitting across from her.

The doubt had been growing stronger, and she reached over to stroke his cheek. "You do know I love you, right? Even though I'm not spending the night yet?"

He smiled reassuringly, taking her hand and kissing her fingers. "I do. I haven't asked you to stay; I'm...getting there, but not ready yet."

Phineas returned to the living room to the sound of Isabella telling him that if he didn't stop 'helping' her get dressed, they'd never make their reservation in time. He straightened his tie and took a seat at the table with them. He sat nervously, fingering something in his jacket pocket. Ferb tilted his head in inquiry, releasing Vanessa's hand.

"Valentine's present for Isabella. I'll tell you when we get home."

They chatted amiably about nothing in particular until Isabella came out, wearing a short and low-cut bright red dress. Heart-shaped earrings and a gold heart pendant provided accents. Phineas sighed happily at the sight, then shook his head back to reality and helped her into her coat. "We'll be back in a few hours. Have fun, folks," Phineas said as he closed the door.

* * *

Dinner had gone well. The little soufflés had come out perfectly, and the chocolate lava cake had brought a smile to Vanessa's face as soon as she saw it.

They'd decided to skip watching TV at all, and had instead turned on some music. Ferb moved the coffee table out of the way, then took Vanessa's hand and asked, "May I have this dance?"

"I...I don't know how. I haven't done any formal dance stuff since ballet back when I was little."

"Then I'll teach you. Here, we'll start with a basic waltz. This is in three-four time, so the beat goes one-two-three, one-two-three..."

* * *

They landed on the couch a while later, laughing at their most recent misstep.

"How did you learn all that stuff?" Vanessa asked.

"Originally, I learned to waltz for Isabella's quinceañera..."

"I thought that was Phineas?"

"Her whole court got some lessons, but Phineas got extra because he was dancing with Isabella for her spotlight dances. And, well, it was an excuse for them to be close to each other, while he was still claiming he wasn't ready yet." Ferb shook his head at his brother's feigned cluelessness.

"Ah, okay."

"I decided I liked it and joined the ballroom dance club in high school."

"And none of the girls there snatched you up?"

"Most of them already had boyfriends. The ones who didn't had their eyes set on someone in particular, who generally wasn't me."

She reached over and pulled him toward her, leaning into him. "Their loss," she whispered, and kissed him.

* * *

They sat up quickly at the sound of Phineas's key in the front door lock, Vanessa rebuttoning her blouse. The door opened, and Phineas bowed Isabella through it, taking her coat.

"So how was dinner?" Vanessa asked.

"It was incredible! And Phineas gave me the most amazing present  _ever!_  He's taking me to  _Paris_  for spring break!" Isabella replied excitedly, while Phineas grinned from ear to ear.

"Wow, sounds like you had a good time," Vanessa said.

"What did you two do?" Phineas asked, hanging his own coat on the coat rack next to Isabella's.

"Just hung out. Ferb taught me some of his ballroom dancing moves."

"Oh, get him to tell you about the time he helped Jeremy out on Let's All Dance Until We're Sick some day."

Phineas and Isabella wandered back into their room, and Ferb said, "I suppose it's time to take you home?"

Vanessa sighed and nodded agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story of Tim Flynn is covered in 'A Valentine's Day to Forget'.


	8. Spring Break

The hardest thing, from Vanessa’s perspective, was going home on Friday and Saturday nights. As time went on, the idea of just staying over and spending the night with Ferb sounded increasingly appealing, but she still wasn’t sure if she was ready - or if he was. Listening to Lisa and Jack in the bedroom next door just exacerbated the problem.

As spring break approached, Phineas and Isabella started preparing for their trip to Paris. Phineas had wanted to take her back there ever since they’d started dating; he seemed to feel he needed to make amends for missing her romantic overtures on their last trip there.

Jack was taking Lisa to Fort Lauderdale for the week as well, which left her alone with Ferb in Marshwood. _I think it’s time. If he’s ready. I really hope he’s ready._

On the Friday before spring break, she brought her laundry to the flat. Ever since discovering that there was a washer and dryer in the unit, she’d taken to doing her laundry there and rejoiced in not needing to save quarters any more. Isabella let her in, saying, “Our last load’s just gone into the dryer, so the washer’s all yours.”

“Thanks! Are you two all set for the trip tomorrow?”

Isabella giggled. “Just about. I need to fold these,” she shook the laundry basket full of clean clothes she was holding, “and what’s in the dryer and finish packing.” She took the basket into the room she shared with Phineas, leaving Vanessa sorting her laundry and looking at the small backpack she’d brought. It carried everything she’d need to spend the night...now she just had to bring herself to make the offer, and hope Ferb would take her up on it.

* * *

Isabella’s birthday would be during the Paris trip, so Ferb and Vanessa gave her her present the night before they left: a new carry-on bag for the trip. She thanked them and rushed it back into the bedroom to get it loaded for the next morning; Phineas followed, leaving the two of them on the living-room couch.

Ferb sat back against the arm, and Vanessa took the opportunity to curl up with him. She spent a minute or two finding her voice before she could finally ask, “Ferb? Would it be okay if I spent the night here tonight?”

He tilted her chin up to look at her, smiled, and said, “I would be honored and delighted.”

She shifted up to kiss him, their bodies pressed together along almost their whole lengths. She could feel his heart pounding in his chest, and saw a hint of concern in his eyes. “Are you sure? We can just sleep if that’s all you’re up to,” she said.

He shook his head. “I’m a bit nervous. That’s all. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to it.”

She curled back into his chest. “That makes two of us.”

* * *

Isabella wandered out into the darkened kitchen for a late-night snack. She was having trouble getting to sleep due to excitement for her trip to Paris the next day. Phineas was having no such issue, but had gone out like a light.

From Ferb’s room, she heard his voice muted by the walls. “Stop, that tickl...hahahaha!”

_Okay, Ferb’s ticklish. I don’t think I needed to know that. I thought the soundproofing here was better than that._

A muted female shriek indicated that, apparently, Vanessa was also ticklish.

Isabella stopped, a blush covering her face in the darkened room. _I need to talk to Phineas about fixing that squeaky bedspring._

* * *

Ferb lay back in bed, holding Vanessa as she idly stroked his chest, sparsely covered in green hairs.

“I think I understand what Phineas meant now,” Ferb said.

Vanessa gave him a blissful smile. “Hm?”

“About feeling connected with someone you love.”

“Mm.” She leaned up and kissed him. “Would you mind if I put some pajamas on?”

“No, not at all. I was thinking I might do the same.”

She rolled out of bed and, grabbing her bag, headed for the bathroom. “I’ll be right back.”

He admired the view until she went through the door, then tracked down a pair of boxers and plaid flannel pajama pants. Their commingled cast-off clothes he dumped into his hamper together, to be sorted tomorrow.

Vanessa returned, wearing a bright green tank top and matching shorts. Ferb looked at them, then tried to pull a tuft of hair out far enough from his head to see if the color matched. Vanessa laughed. “I’m sorry, that hadn’t even occurred to me. I’ve had these for months, I just like them. Although...yeah, they’re right about the same color. Maybe it’s fate.”

Ferb turned off the light, and they settled together in bed, back to front. “Is this okay?” he asked, sliding an arm just under the hem of her tank top and resting it across her bare stomach. “I’ve never spent the night with anyone before. Other than Perry, I suppose.”

“I haven’t either. This works for me.”

He nuzzled the back of her neck. "I love you."

She relaxed into his embrace. "I love you too, Ferb."

* * *

They dropped Phineas and Isabella off at the airport the next morning. As Vanessa drove back to the flat, she thought about the earlier Paris trip. She’d arrived with them and gone home with her father. A sudden concern occurred to her about having left Ferb on top of the Eiffel Tower.

“Ferb? Did I completely mess things up for you in Paris?”

He smiled wistfully. “A tad. I had just decided to admit to my feelings for you - to meet you halfway, as it were. I’d bought a rose for you, but when I got back, you were flying off with your father.”

She winced. “I’m sorry. I never realized.”

He reached over and took her hand. “And if you had? It’s not like you could have had any real interest in a ten-year-old boy in that way.”

“No, probably not. I guess it was better this way.”

“I certainly have no complaints about how it’s worked out.”

* * *

They awoke Wednesday morning to a _bzzzzzzzzthunk_ as Ferb’s phone vibrated its way off the nightstand. Ferb leaned out of bed and picked it up, looked at it briefly, and answered it. “What is it, Phineas?” he said, yawning.

He suddenly sat upright in bed, startling Vanessa. “You did?

“Yes, of course she did. Did you really think there was any chance she’d say no?

“This wasn’t...um...urgent, was it?

“That’s good to hear. Have you told mum and dad yet?

“Thank you, and congratulations to you both.”

Vanessa leaned over and said, “Congratulations,” in the direction of the phone as well. Ferb smiled at her before going back to his conversation.

“Go call everyone else. Worry about plans when you get home. Enjoy Paris with your new fiancée.

“Goodbye, Phineas.” Ferb hung up the phone and set it back on the nightstand before turning toward Vanessa. “I take it you figured out what was going on.”

“He proposed, on her birthday if I have the dates right. And to nobody’s surprise, she said yes.”

“Right underneath the Eiffel Tower.”

"Aren't they a little young to be engaged? I mean, she just turned nineteen today, and he's still eighteen. Is she pregnant?"

"No, apparently not. He just felt that there wasn't any point in waiting longer."

“Aww.” She reached up to stroke his hair. “So do you need a trip to Paris to make up for me abandoning you there?”

He caught her hand and kissed it, laying back down beside her. “Not particularly. I’d rather think about where we’re going than where we’ve been.”

She pushed him over onto his back. “Well, since we’re awake, let’s see where we can go this morning.”

* * *

Vanessa took a break from grading midterms to watch Ferb making lunch for the two of them. It was their last day alone before Phineas and Isabella returned from Paris, and once her grading was done, they planned to go out and enjoy the unseasonably warm mid-March day.

They’d had a wonderful week together, exploring the Quad-State Area. They’d taken a day trip up into the mountains, visited the natural history museum, and spent a gloomy, rainy day watching TV and playing card games. They’d spent their nights together as well, and the only problem there was that she didn’t want to head back to her own apartment in a couple nights.

Ferb looked up from his lunch preparation. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

_How does he know?_ she thought. “Just not looking forward to Sunday night.”

“You’re welcome to stay here any night you’d like.”

“I know, I just...feel like I need to spend weeknights at my apartment. No, it doesn’t make sense. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It is what it is, and we’ll just need to enjoy the weekends even more.”

“I don’t think that will be a problem.”

* * *

They picked up Isabella and Phineas at the airport the next day. Vanessa oohed appropriately at Isabella’s ring, and they got the full details of the proposal while waiting for luggage.

“So we get to the Eiffel Tower, and he points toward the flower seller who had been there when we were there as kids. I look over at her, and when I look back at him, he’s down on one knee with a ring box,” Isabella said, starting to tear up.

“And you said yes,” Vanessa remarked.

“I practically passed out, actually, but once I got my voice back, of course I said yes. A couple from Sheboygan took pictures, and promised to email them to us when they get back home.”

Phineas said, “I figured that we had time then to call all the folks who needed to know immediately - you, Mom and Dad, and Candace, and Isabella had to call her parents and grandparents. And then it was off to dinner, where I’d let them know ahead of time so they had a special table set aside for us.”

Isabella sighed happily. “It was so romantic. Even better than what I’d dreamed of.” She smiled at Phineas and hugged him from behind.

The luggage arrived, and they trundled out to Vanessa's car. As she drove back to the flat, Ferb asked, "Do you two have any plans for scheduling the wedding yet?"

"We're thinking summer after next," Phineas answered.

Vanessa asked, "So, Isabella, are you going to take Phineas's name, or keep your own?"

"I'm still deciding," Isabella said hesitantly.

Phineas looked at her, surprised. "Really? I mean, it's okay either way, but...I remember watching you practice your signature as Mrs. Isabella Flynn when you got bored in Mr. Bronkowski's math class. I guess I'd assumed..."

"Wait, you _saw_ that? You weren't supposed to see that!" Isabella protested.

Phineas just grinned back at her. Isabella tried to glare at him, but couldn't help smiling.

"I have thought about changing my name to Flynn for a long time," she continued, "but then I think about everything my mother went through. She got enough grief from her family for marrying a Jewish man instead of a good Mexican Catholic, and then to keep her name and not just take his...she had to fight hard for that name, and I don't know if I'm willing to just toss it aside."

"Hyphenating more wouldn't really work, I suppose," Phineas said.

"No, Garcia-Shapiro-Flynn is pretty awkward," Isabella agreed.

“You could use Garcia-Shapiro as a middle name,” Phineas suggested.

“No, I really like Miriam as a middle name.” Isabella sighed. “You see the problem. I want to take Phineas’s name, but I don’t want to lose my mom’s, or mine.”

Vanessa asked, “Do you want to keep Garcia-Shapiro, or do you want to keep Garcia?”

Isabella thought for a moment. “Garcia's the important one, I guess. Why?"

“Would Garcia-Flynn work?”

Isabella thought for a moment, then smiled as she looked at Phineas. “It would only work if we both did it. Would you be Phineas Garcia-Flynn for me?”

“Yes, yes I would.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First time the characters surprised me in this story: Ferb trying to look at his own hair to compare to Vanessa's pajamas.


	9. Home

The semester was drawing to a close. Ferb sat on the couch with Phineas, both of them relaxing after the Physics final. _Hopefully they don’t give Vanessa a Physics 3 section next semester. That could get awkward_ , Ferb thought.

Vanessa arrived, distracted and distressed. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Ferb...can we talk for a minute?”

He got up and followed her into his room; she sat down in his desk chair as he took a seat on the edge of the bed. “What’s wrong?” he repeated.

Unable to look at him, she said, “Lisa asked me to move out for next year. Jack is moving in, and his parents want him to have a bedroom that’s ‘his’. Since the lease is in her name...”

He stood up and walked over to her, kneeling down to be at her eye level. “We’d need to clear it with Phineas and Isabella, but I can’t imagine they’d have any problems with you moving in here. If that’s what you want.”

“It’s a big step. I’m not sure just what I want at this point. It’s just kind of sudden. I wasn’t expecting to have to make this decision yet. Is it what you want?”

“I want you to be happy, wherever you are. But, all else being equal...yes, it is. I want to be with you. To go to sleep holding you, and wake up with you in the morning. To share my life with you. I love you, Vanessa.”

She reached up to touch his cheek; he put his hand over hers. “And I love you, Ferb. I want all that as well; I’m just not sure if I’m ready for it all yet. Give me a couple days to think about it?”

“Certainly.”

* * *

As she lay in bed that night, Ferb’s arm in its usual place just under the hem of her tank top, listening to his breathing slow as he went to sleep, Vanessa pondered what she wanted.

Part of her liked having her own space - somewhere she could go to get away from everyone, even Ferb. But part of her wanted to just stay here forever, within the arms of this man who loved her. This may have started as an innocent crush that a ten-year-old boy had had on a much older girl, but she had no doubt that his love for her now was real and solid.

_I remember thinking he'd make some lucky girl very happy. I never imagined it would be me._

_Where is my home now? It’s not Mom’s house, or Dad’s lab. It’s not New York. It’s not, really, my apartment._

_It’s right here. This is home. Ferb is home._

Her decision was made, she realized. It was time to come home to the man she loved.

* * *

Ferb had been thrilled at the decision, so at breakfast the next morning, they asked Phineas and Isabella if they’d mind another roommate.

Phineas looked puzzled. “Wait, she hasn’t moved in yet? I thought she already lived here. Although I suppose that explains why there’s no mail for her.”

Isabella laughed and shook her head. “That would be fine, Vanessa. We’d love to have you here.”

Vanessa hesitantly asked, “How much will I owe toward the rent?”

“Don’t worry about that,” Isabella said. “The Foundation covers the rent for us as ‘employees’, and getting money from you would just be a tax mess. I’ll add you to the split of the utility bills, and you’re already helping with groceries.”

“Thank you, guys,” Vanessa said.

“You need to stay in Marshwood over the summer, right?” Phineas asked.

Vanessa nodded.

"One condition, then," Phineas said. "You two need to come visit us in Danville this summer. We'll just need to pack a whole summer of cool stuff into the one or two weeks you're there."

"It's a deal," Ferb said.

* * *

Vanessa had decided not to waste any time; her belongings were loaded into the back of her car by lunch time, and after lunch, she unpacked. She claimed a dresser and half of Ferb’s closet, which he gladly surrendered, watching her from the bed. When she finished, she lay down next to him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Honey, I’m home,” she said.

He held her close, and said, “Yes, yes you are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we’ll call it there and wander back into their lives at a later date. I’m taking a bit of a break from this timeline now - I do intend to come back and bring Amelia and Henry (and, to a lesser extent, Millicent) into play, but right now I need some time off to let my brain work on other stories that have been backlogged behind this. Almost 50,000 words from this timeline in 3 months...I’m satisfied.
> 
> I’m not going away, though. I have a trope bingo card with my name on it...okay, it’s got my pseudonym in the filename, which is close enough. No hard schedule on when they will be posted, but I’ve got 6 story ideas coming from the first card, and two of them are in final editing right now. Currently looks like one Perry-centric story, a couple Ferbnessa, a couple Phinbella (one with bonus Ferbetchen and Balinger), and one friendship-level Phineas/Ferb/Isabella story, but things can change.
> 
> Many, many thanks to everyone who’s read this far.


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